[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 15 (Thursday, January 23, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 3860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01019]



[[Page 3860]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service

7 CFR Part 66

[Document No. AMS-FTPP-19-0104]


National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard; Validation of 
Refining Processes

ACTION: Reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the comment period for a proposed 
rule published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2019, is 
reopened. The document invited comments on draft instructions for 
validation of refining processes as it pertains to the National 
Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard (Standard).

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published December 17, 
2019 at 84 FR 68816 is reopened. Comments are due by February 7, 2020.

ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit written comments via the internet at 
http://www.regulations.gov. All comments should refer to the date and 
page number of this issue of the Federal Register. All comments 
submitted in response to the notice, including the identity of 
individuals or entities submitting comments, will be made available to 
the public on the internet via http://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Trevor Findley, Deputy Director, Food 
Disclosure and Labeling Division, Fair Trade Practices Program, 
Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
telephone (202) 690-3460, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A proposed rule seeking comment on draft 
instructions for validation of refining processes was published in the 
Federal Register on December 17, 2019 (84 FR 68816). In the preamble to 
the final regulations establishing the Standard, USDA indicated that it 
would provide instructions to the industry to explain how they can 
ensure acceptable validation of refining processes in accordance with 
AMS standards (83 FR 65843). A draft of those instructions is available 
on the AMS bioengineered food disclosure website at https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/be. AMS is seeking comments on these 
draft instructions.
    After reviewing the comments on these draft instructions, AMS will 
publish final instructions on its website. The final instructions will 
be maintained and available on the AMS website. These final 
instructions pertain to the requirements of the existing regulations, 
which can be found at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/12/21/2018-27283/national-bioengineered-food-disclosure-standard.
    The original 30-day comment period provided in the proposed rule 
closed on January 16, 2020. Stakeholders have requested an extension of 
the comment period. The Agricultural Marketing Service is reopening the 
public comment period for an additional 15 days to ensure that 
interested persons have sufficient time to review and comment on the 
proposed rule. The comment period is reopened for 15 days from the date 
of publication of this notice.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1639.

    Dated: January 16, 2020.
Bruce Summers,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-01019 Filed 1-22-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P